Apparatus for the treatment of fruit with antiseptics for the prevention of decay



Nov. 3 1925- 1,559,733

w. R. BARGER ET AL. nnxuus Fon THE TREATMENT oF FRUIT wma As'rrsar'ucs Fon THE PREVENTION oF uson Filed Feb. 21. 1925 v Patented Nov. 3, 19825.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAI B.. BARGEB, WILLIAH 'V'. HUKILI, AND LON A. HAWKINS, OF WASHINGTON,

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DEDICATED, BY IESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T THEOITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES.

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF FRUIT WITH ANTISEPTICS FOB THE PREVEN- i TION OF DECAY.

Application llled February 21, 1925. Serial No. 10,871.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT 0F MARCH 3, 1883; 22 STAT. L. 625.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we', WILLIAM R. BARGER, WILLIAM V. HUKILL, and LoN A. HAWKINS, citizens of the United States of America,

. I and em loyees of the United States Department o? Agriculture, residing at Washing- '.ton, D. C., have invented a new and useful Apparatus for the Treatment of Fruit with Antiseptics for the Prevention of Decay, of which the following is a specification.

lThis application is made under the act Y of March 3, 1883, chapter 143 (22 Stat. 625). and the invention herein described and 18 claimed may be used by the Goverment of the United States or any of its officers or employees' in the prosecution of work for the Government, or any person in the United States, without payment tous of any royalty thereon.

The invention is shown in the accompanyin@ drawing consisting of 4 figures in which igure 1V represents a plan view of the entire apparatus. 'n

Figure 2 represents a side elevation 1n section of the apparatus.

Figure 3 represents a paddle Wheel which is alpart of the apparatus.

Figure 4 represents a baille which is also a part of the apparatus.

The apparatus consists of a tank 1 constructed of suitable materials such as galvanized iron, and having dimensions dependi upon the amount of fruit to be put throng itin a given time, which is adapted to receive an antiseptic such as a solution of bor-ax, in which the fruit is to be submerged. 'This solution is heated-hy a steam coil 2`of sufficient capacity to raise the ternse perature of the solution in the tank from to 120 in one-half hour. This'steam coil 2 'is placed in the bottom 3 of the tank 1 and may extend throughout the entire length of the tank. Steam is supplied to es the coil 2 in any conventional manner. The tank 1 is equipped with a gravity feed chute 4 for. delivering the fruit to the tank l; two revolving peddle wheels 5 held in lace by bearings 6 bolted to the sides 7 c the tank 1 for submerging the fruit in the Se lution; two baffles 8 suspended from bear- ,has been treated with the antiseptic. The

paddle wheels 5 are equipped with sprockets 12, a chain 13 extending between said sprockets and motion is. imparted thereto by any desired means (not shown). The bailles 8 are 'made ofboards at the upper edges 14 of which are ailixed rods 15 by means of clamps 16, nuts 17 being attached to the ends of the rods 15 so as to hold the baliles 8 in .position in bearing 9. The counter-weights 10 are supported by bent arms 18 which are in turn attached by rivets 19 to the upper edges 14 of the ballles 8. The counter-weights 10 are adjustable to any desired position on the arms 18, a set screw 20 being employed for. this purpose.

Operation- In actual operation the fruit is fed into the tank 1 at one end' through the gravity feed chute 4 and is immediately submerged by one of the addle wheels 5, passes on to one of theba es- 8 and is held there until the fruit is several layers deep across the tank 1 or until it develops sufficient pressure to tilt the baille 8 so that the lower layers of oranges may pass thereunder. The fruit passing into the tank 1 over the gravity chute 4 is moved along by the paddle wheel 5 until it reaches the first allie board 8; it remains there until the pressure of the fruit from the rear is Sullieient to overcome the resistance of the baille board8, together with its counter-weight 10, when it tips the baille board and passes beneath it in turn to be moved forward by the second paddle. wheel 5, when the process is repeated until the fruit is forced beneath the second baille board 8 where it reaches the elevator 11 which delivers it tothe drier (not shown). The rate at which the oranges ass through the tank 1, and the length olptime they remain in the solution,-

is thus regulated by the rate at which they are fed into the tank and the position of the counter-weights l() on the bates 8.

`We Claim:

An apparatus intended. for use in treating; fruit with antiseptics, comprising a tank, containing an antiseptic solution, a chute for feeding the fruit to be treated into said. tank, a steam coil in said tank for heating the antiseptic solutiona paddle Wheels in said tank for submergng the fruit mamen in the solution, anti, adjacent to said paddle Wheels, battles adapted to cont'ol the` speed of the movement of the fruit throughout the Length of the tank, .and an elevator at the opposite end of the tank x'om the atonesad. chute adapted. for the removal of the fruit from the tank.

WILLIAM n. nano-nn.- WtLLtAM V. HUMML. non A.. HAWMNS. 

